Business to Business relationships come to expect a certain level of professionalism, from the first telephone call to the final delivery.
Your business can be on the Really Big 500 list, employ only a handful of people, or be a business of one but what is said by that business to other business customers will reflect the personality of that business. It can be a PR boost or a PR blowout.
Have you called the telephone company or your long distance provider lately? Chances are you will get a machine telling you to "listen closely because the menus have changed" (as if they know you called last year).
When you do listen closely, chances are there is not a choice on the menu that sounds like the reason you called. Worse, you could choose a selection and be directed to an area that does not answer with no way to get back to real people. What does that say about the company? Terrible impression.
Only the company's bean counters will argue that all that "select and press" boogie-woogie is good for the company. Word of mouth is faster and cheaper than any other form of advertising, and very widespread. Have you talked with anyone that thinks voice mail menus are nifty?
Same if you have to call an insurance company, or credit card company. Now, it seems, more and more calls are greeted with the "all our agents are busy, please hold" message. Can you imagine how that one got started? "Look, Herb, if we put the main line on voice mail, we can trim our customer support staff in half, just have the machine say 'everyone is busy helping other customers', we can save really big bucks!" Not much for PR is it? Even worse if they ditch the 800 number and make you pay for the call.
For years I have told my clients to look to the big boys to see how they do things. Now I hedge my advice, by pointing them at the big boys that are doing it right, because so many have made more than one wrong turn on the road to a professional, caring image.
The telephone is only one part of the puzzle, but one of the most important parts. I tell my clients with small to mid size businesses to call the office from time to time to see how the phone is answered.
I cannot count the number of times I have had to ask to person answering the phone to repeat the mesh of words that just flew by. Hundreds of times I have been ka-thudded on hold with not so much as a "Hang on Bub!"
It is true, you can hear a smile on the other end of the phone. You can also hear indifference and the Easy one to spot is outright disgust. One bored telephone person can do more to undo what took years to do more than any other company asset (or liability).
What if your company is you? Staff of one with a home office. What happens when a call comes in and you are not there to put on your best voice? Does a machine get it? In how many rings? What does the machine say? Does your machine make sense if you call from a pay phone?
It only takes a few minutes to draft a script for the answer machine. So much better than an ad lib. Even the pros write it down. Forget about that "I'm not here" stuff, any moron can figure that one out. No need to lecture them with "..say your phone number twice" or "talk slowly, I am not a stenographer". Record it over and over until it sounds bright, happy, and clear enough for Grandma to understand.
How do you feel when you make a business call and a machine answers to tell you "if you want to send a fax, press start now!"? Makes you question the quality of the business, doesn't it? Can't they even afford a separate fax number?
You see it on printed material, too, "..for fax, call first so we can turn on the machine". It is hard to imagine such a setup being used for more than one or two faxes a year. The impression that a lack of a separate fax number gives is negative in every respect.
The ultimate professional faux pas is to use your home phone number as your business number. This might work if you are the only one ever to answer the phone and your machine always answers if you are away (even if the house of full of kids and an in-law or two). What usually happens is a child, or grandchild, will answer "huh-whoah?"
"Is this Acme Consulting?"
"I'll get my Mommee (clunk) Mommeeee"
Neat first impression. Consider the ramifications if a teenager in your house has figured out how to dial out.
Here are two simple ideas to help give your business a professional front, telephone-wise.
If you already use a separate line for the fax machine, but still use your home phone as your business line, start using the fax number as your main business number. Make sure no one else answers it. Put your answer machine on it and leave the home phone alone. Put your new number on everything and send email to those that may have the old one. The transition won't take long.
You won't lose any faxes because you can get a free fax number from several sources that send the faxes to your computer. No banner ads to read, just free fax service. I have had one for years. I have a dedicated fax number and don't pay a penny.
My fax number converts any fax to an eMail attachment and it arrives in my eMail box. I can read my faxes from any computer, worldwide. In my office I can read and pitch, or print and read. I don't buy fax paper anymore. Some folks call them electronic faxes. The point is, you can get a fax number all your own, without extension, that anyone can use, 24 hours a day, for free. No hidden costs or startup fees.
The two most popular are http://www.jfax.com and http://www.efax.com but any Internet search for "free fax numbers" will bring up a bigger list.
If you don't have a fax number at home, call the telephone company and order a second residential line. Just tell them you want a second line, no need to explain. Once it is installed, make it your main business line and get a free fax number.
Now your business card can show a main line, a fax line and a cell phone and your mother-in-law can't run off new business.
If it walks like a pro and acts like a pro...
Body End-----
Sig: ©2005 BIG Mike McDaniel All Rights Reserved
Created properly, an extremely effective marketing tool.It's a great concept,... Read More
Think carefully! You're a department, division or subsidiary manager for... Read More
How to write a press release is a major challenge... Read More
As small businesses we have an opportunity and an obligation... Read More
Done right, it delivers the key, target audience behaviors you... Read More
Where is there a business, non-profit or association manager who... Read More
Think that you aren't big enough for national media coverage?... Read More
In last year's animated film Shrek II, a giant gingerbread... Read More
?lose the confidence of your key target audiences? discourage them... Read More
Publicity is obtaining editorial coverage or features for your business.... Read More
The practice of public relations is often misunderstood, thus overlooked... Read More
Everyone knows the value of free publicity. And given the... Read More
Many of my clients have had the misguided perception that... Read More
If you own a franchise and have company vehicles, be... Read More
Experience tells me that too many business, non-profit and association... Read More
Some folks see the word "strategic" as a needlessly tiresome... Read More
When I search Google News for "surveys," I get nearly... Read More
When it comes to launching a new business or product,... Read More
1) Establish Rapport, then get the editor/producer excited.There's not a... Read More
As a manager, does your current business, non-profit or association... Read More
Like human nature over time, the power of good public... Read More
Smaller companies don't always have the budget - or inclination... Read More
It used to be that all you had to do... Read More
There are a lot of things that make a business... Read More
Southern grandmothers have often said, "there are only three... Read More
Are you launching a new product or website? Announcing a... Read More
The media has the power to shape public opinion and... Read More
A musician spends years honing his craft. He writes world-class... Read More
Dear New York Times:I'd like to be quoted in one... Read More
As a business, non-profit or association manager, do you see... Read More
Sure, any publicity is good. But don't invest time and... Read More
"Don't say you don't have enough time. You have exactly... Read More
Do small-business owners always have to rely on large PR... Read More
You want to sell your products or services, and that... Read More
Question: Why should your business issue a press release? Answer:... Read More
True, because department, division or subsidiary managers for a business,... Read More
There's the old joke about the two buzzards sitting in... Read More
1. Your press release should sound like news, not an... Read More
It is virtually impossible to succeed professionally and personally without... Read More
Think that you aren't big enough for national media coverage?... Read More
There's an old African proverb:"If you think you are too... Read More
I address this article to businesses, associations, non-profits and public... Read More
Whether you are a business, non-profit or association manager, your... Read More
During my career as the head of media relations for... Read More
Before meeting my soon-to-be-wife for the first time, I "Googled"... Read More
Prior to launching a new public relations campaign, evaluate the... Read More
Receiving free advertising is the dream of most business people.... Read More
As a manager, does your current business, non-profit or association... Read More
What's REALLY potent for a business, non-profit or association manager... Read More
The short answer is, it works best when its fundamental... Read More
As a business, non-profit or association manager, you'll know it's... Read More
Mark Twain once said the rumors of his death had... Read More
Here's the point: people act on their own perception of... Read More
Imagine that you are a radio producer. You have to... Read More
Yes?Good!Still, as a business, non-profit or association manager, if you're... Read More
Since the major part of a small business typically comes... Read More
If your product or service can be given as a... Read More
Business, non-profit and association managers get a ton of satisfaction... Read More
At the core of any successful public relations campaign is... Read More
In previous articles for marketing-minded financial planners, I've discussed what... Read More
Media kits include a combination of information whether created for... Read More
Have you fantasized about spreading word of your business on... Read More
It's difficult enough running the day-to-day aspects of a business,... Read More
1) Establish Rapport, then get the editor/producer excited.There's not a... Read More
Public relations is the art, as one of my colleagues... Read More
A reporter's job is to get the most accurate and... Read More
Public Relations |